Breaking Bad Fic: The Ritual

[readishmael]

Fandom: Breaking Bad
Title: The Ritual
Author:readishmael
Pairing: Walt/Jesse (established)
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~2,800
Spoilers: Vaguely through the end of season three.
Disclaimer: This is for fun, not for profit. No copyright infringement is intended. Breaking Bad belongs to Vince Gilligan, AMC, and Sony Television.
Warnings: Serious emotional abuse; physical

Comments

[diane_kepler]

This is different from any encounter that I'd ever imagined between Walt and Jesse but it was nonetheless nommable. I liked the reason you made up for Walt's anger and how there was "no room for reciprocation". That bit of strangeness somehow fit their relationship very well.

And goatee rubbing. Unf. :)

[readishmael]

Thanks for the review. I'm glad you felt like it was believable.

And goatee rubbing. Unf. :)

Hee! Yeah, I agree. Unf.

[sydpenguinbunny]

Love this one so much... Gah, they're so fucked up in so many ways. And in the midst of the (very hot, though disturbing) sex, a very clear rejoinder as to some of the reasons why Jesse *does* stay, when he even knows he ought to go and ought to push Walt away...

[readishmael]

Thanks so much. They definitely are fucked up, but thankfully not quite this bad.

Poor Jesse needs rehab for Walt.

[readishmael]

It makes me super uncomfortable, too (maybe even more so, since I'm responsible for it), but I'm also really proud of it. Thanks for reading!

[hungryhippo11]

Gah, this was such an awkward and uncomfortable read! It feels so palpably real and true to the show that if their relationship ever became sexual it would end up being screwed up like this. You basically capture the tone of their relationship in this fic--it's excellent :)

In talking about timers and rituals, you've reminded me of the "cycle of violence" which is often spoken about in the domestic violence field as a basic framework for describing the patterns of behaviour in an abusive relationship. Jesse sometimes seems like a 'battered wife' in relation to Walt, moreso than his own wife does.

[readishmael]

Thanks! I'm so glad you felt like it was believable. It's my only established relationship fic I've ever done, so I was pretty wary about whether people would be able to buy it.

I'm fairly knowledgable about the patterns of abusive relationships, which informed this fic a lot, but the biggest inspiration was actually the novel America's Dream, which is the first place I'd ever really seen a sexualized make up/apology ritual dramatized. And for some reason it got me thinking of "One Minute," and Jesse agreeing to partner up with Walt again. That poor kid.

[stagemanager]

Thank you for sharing this. It's ....intense.

[readishmael]

Yeah, I know it is. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.